Happy Birthday, America!

Sort of. No, no, don’t get us wrong. We’re not downplaying the holiday or the patriotic joy surrounding it. On July 4, 1776, several of our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, signifying our break with England. And that’s why we celebrate the Fourth of July and have nearly every year since 1777.

But those folks who “geek out” about history will argue that the birthday of the United States is a little more complicated. For starters, while the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4^th, the Continental Congress debated and voted in favor of the resolution for independence on July 2, 1776. John Adams was so adamant about it, he refused to celebrate on the 4^th even when he was President.

Others will point out that the Articles of the Confederation – the original Constitution that established a "league of friendship" for the 13 sovereign and independent states – weren’t created until more than a year later, November 1777.

Still others will explain that the Revolutionary War for our independence wasn’t finished until Benjamin Franklin and his cohort signed the Treaty of Paris with King George III’s team in September of 1783. Which, by the way, still left a large portion of the continent in the control of Spain and Great Britain. Some would eventually become part of the United States, like our own Florida. British North America would eventually become the land we know today as Canada.

And then in May of 1787, Alexander Hamilton (yes, that Hamilton) convinced the Confederation Congress to revise the Articles of Confederation. The closed room discussion and debate resulted in not revisions, but an entirely new document – The Constitution we now hold dear.

Rocket’s Red Glare

Yeah, that’s a lot of history. Which may be why today we almost universally celebrate our country’s birthday on July 4th - and we make a BIG deal out of it.

Despite his dispute on the date of the celebration, John Adams in 1776 wrote to his wife commemoration of our independence, “ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one end of this Continent to the other from this time forward forever more.”

Some places were so stoked about independence that they started celebrating just as soon as the Declaration was signed, putting on mock funerals for King George III of England. The first “official” celebrations happened in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777.

While parades have dwindled in our modern times compared to 100 years ago, some communities still have them. Even if they’re not marching in a line, people dress in red, white and blue, and many veterans will don their uniforms and be recognized by community groups.

Believe it or not, the Fourth of July wasn’t a federal holiday until 1870 – nearly 100 years into the annual celebration. And even then, while they had the day off, federal employees didn’t get paid for the holiday until 1941!

Bombs Bursting in Air

There’s nothing that quite says the Fourth of July like fireworks. Even though the Chinese invented pyrotechnics long before our country was even discovered by Europeans, it didn’t take long for fireworks to become part of our national tradition.

In 2023, the American Pyrotechnics Association reported American consumers spent $2.3 billion on fireworks the previous year. While fireworks are technically illegal to buy in many cities and municipalities, more are sold every year.

A word of caution as well. An estimated 9,700 Americans were treated in emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries in 2023, not counting minor injuries and burns. Nor does it take into account the untold damage to dogs and other pets startled by the sound of fireworks exploding, as well as the effect on a great number of humans who suffer from PTSD, such as many of our revered veterans. As people increasingly set off fireworks for a few days to a week on either side of the holiday, this has become a growing problem.

Our Flag Was Still There

Some folks prefer to watch fireworks rather than risk their life and limb. Many of them are content to simply display and hold up sparklers. You still get the flashy lights and colors up close and personal without danger to yourself or your puppy.

Often in the other hand, we’ll wave a tiny American flag. Millions of hand-held US flags of various sizes are made and sold every year, mostly around Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Veteran’s Day. 94% of American flags are actually manufactured in the United States. By law, military and government facilities can only fly flags that are 100% made in America.

Eder Flags in Wisconsin hand sews more than 5 million full-size American flags every year used across the country.

Fire Up the Grill

Of course, probably the second most popular way to celebrate the Fourth of July is with a big backyard BBQ or community picnic. Whether it’s in your own yard or a local park, 68% of Americans enjoy cooking out for the holiday – grilling corn on the cob, baked potatoes, and, of course, between 7 and 8 billion dollars in meat on the grill.

And while this might be the biggest grilling day of the summer, it’s far from the last.

Protect your backyard guests and pets with our No Bite Zones Mosquito Protection Program. It literally takes those pesky biting mosquitoes and turns them into vegans. You enjoy your BBQ and they feed on nectar instead of your blood. Our offices are closed today, but if you’d like more information on this or any of our other environmentally friendly pest solutions, please give us a call!